Related to the use of a residential swimming pool, spa or Jacuzzi is the risk that someone who is unable to swim, often times an infant, will, without the knowledge of the individual responsible for their supervision, enter into the area surrounding the residential swimming pool, spa or Jacuzzi and fall into the water and drown. Indeed, drowning is a leading cause of death among children under the age of five (5) in many states including Florida, Arizona, and California, just to name a few. Moreover, according to government statistics, for every drowning there are eleven (11) near drowning incidents, many of which result in brain damage or other severe and potentially debilitating injuries.
Drowning typically happens quickly and without warning. There is often no cry for help from the drowning victim. Indeed, a recent study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed that 77% of the children who drown were seen within five (5) minutes before they were noticed missing and were subsequently discovered in the pool.
Previous efforts to prevent those who are unable to swim from accidentally falling into a residential swimming pool, spa or Jacuzzi and drowning have generally involved the use of either (1) a barrier to prevent access to the residential swimming pool, spa or Jacuzzi, or (2) an alarm which sounds in when one enters the water. Indeed, according to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 69% of the drowning incidents occurred when parental supervision failed and there were not other safety measures in use. Accordingly, many states and municipalities have enacted legislation which requires persons who construct and/or own swimming pools, spas or Jacuzzis to use some type of protective measure in an effort to prevent children or other individuals who are unable to swim from accidentally falling into the water and drowning.
Pool fences or safety barriers are typically constructed of flexible material which is mounted on aluminum or fiberglass support poles. The support poles are placed into aluminum or plastic sleeves which are installed into the deck surface surrounding the swimming pool, spa, or Jacuzzi. The bottom border of the fence material is typically flush with the deck surface surrounding the swimming pool, spa, or Jacuzzi so as to prevent a child from going under the fence. The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,327 to Fish describes such a fence.
A standard pool fence is removable in approximately twelve foot sections. Each section can easily be rolled up and is relatively light in weight. The average one hundred foot fence can be removed in less than fifteen (15) minutes and be put back up in approximately the same amount of time.
There are several types of alarms designed for outdoor swimming pools, spas and Jacuzzis. One type of alarm designed for outdoor swimming pools, spas, and Jacuzzis is an alarm which utilizes wave sensors. These types of alarms are essentially floating devices which have remote alarms which are designed sound if someone falls into the water. These alarms are typically mounted on the edge of the swimming pool, spa or Jacuzzi. Generally, these types of alarms sense water displacement when an object weighing more than a certain threshold weight enters the pool. In order to detect a disturbance to the surface of the water, these types of alarms utilize a sensor incorporates an electrical circuit that includes two contacts. One contact rests in the water; the second contact (above-surface contact) is adjusted so that it is resting above the water. When the above-surface contact is touched by water (from a surface wave), the electrical circuit is completed and an alarm sounds. The sensitivity of the device can be adjusted by positioning the above-surface contact closer or further away from the water surface. Sensitivity increases as the contact is positioned closer to the water surface (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In order for such a device to be effective, however, the pool surface must be disturbed enough by the person falling into the water so as to set off the alarm.
Another type of alarm designed for outdoor swimming pools, spas, and Jacuzzis are those which use laser or infra red light to form an unbroken beam of light around the perimeter of the swimming pool, spa or Jacuzzi. When someone entering the perimeter breaks the beam the alarm sounds.
The present invention combines certain desirable features of perimeter barriers and alarms to provide a portable, removable, lightweight device that promotes safety in a manner heretofore unknown.